Gas-lighter.



F. H. POMEROY.

GAS LIGHTER. APPLICATION FILED SEPT|Z9| 19H. RENEWEDDCT. 16,1915.

1 I i W THE COLUAHHA PLANOGRAPH CID, WASHINGTON, D- C4 Patented May 16, 1916.

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FREDERICK H. POMEROY, 0F HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO SAFETY GAS LIGHTER COMPANY, OF HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

GAS-LIGHTER.

Application filed September 29, 1911, Serial No. 651,928.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK H. POM- rnov, a citizen of the United States, residing at Haverhill, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Gas-Lighters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in that class of gas lighters in which sparks are generated by the abrasion of a pyrophoric metal, and more particularly to certain improvements in the type of lighter shown in my Patent No. 1,011,643, in which a pair of arms are swung laterally toward and from each other to cause the abrading action.

lVhile the device illustrated in my said prior patent is operative for the purpose intended, it is of too expensive construction to enable it to be manufactured commercially, and is not sutliciently durable to meet trade requirements.

The object of my invention is to improve devices of this character by increasing the effectiveness of operation thereof and reducing their manufacturing cost. I acco-nr plish this object by the means shown in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1. is a perspective view of a gas lighter made according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2, of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of the pyrophoric material holder. Fig. 4 is a side view, and Fig. 5 is an end view of the spark producing portion of the device.

The device comprises a piece of spring wire, bent to provide a pair of approximately parallel arms a, 79, connected by an intermediate coil 0, which acts to throw the free ends of the arms away from each other, and permits said arms to be relatively swung, as in other devices of this character. The arm a is provided with a thumb-piece (Z, produced by forming a coil in the wire, so that when the device is held in the hand for use. with the palm of the hand resting on the upper side of the arms, the thumb may be conveniently pressed against the thumb-piece (Z, to press the arms together, the portion of said arms between the thumbpiece and the coil thus acting as a handhold. With this arrangement the device can only be conveniently held in the right Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1916.

Renewed October 16, 1915. Serial No. 56,340.

hand and is most conveniently operated in the horizontal position of Fig. 1.

The arm Z) is provided with an upwardly bent end portion 6, and a holder 7 for the pyrophoric material 9 is mounted thereon, said holder comprising a metal tube which is adapted to be threaded onto the end por tion e, at one end, and to receive the material g at the other end, so that the end portion of the material extends beyond the end ofthe tube. The free end portion of the other arma is bent to provide an upwardly extending portion h, and a transverse por tion 2 the latter extending over the upper end of the holder 7'. An abrader j, in the form of a round file, having a series of longitudinal abrading-faces j, is rotatablv mounted on said transverse portion 2' in such position that the material 9 is held against the surface of the abrader, and is moved longitudinally thereof in engagement therewith when the arms are pressed together.

It will be noted that, when the device is held in position for use, the pyrophoric material will bear against the under side of the abrader, so that the gas, as it rises, will readily come into contact with the sparks as they are formed by moving the arms. A sheet metal gas-deflecting plate k is provided directly over said abrader, said plate being connected to the arm a by means of a depending ear m formed integrally with said plate at one end, and having lugs m which are bent about the vertical portion 7b of the arm a, so as to hold the plate firmly in a plane approximately parallel to the arms a, Z), so that it will be held horizontally when the device is held in the ordinary position of use. The opposite end of the plate 70 is also provided with a depending ear it, having a slot 'n therein into which the ends of the abrader-supporting-portion 2' extends, said ear thus being adapted to prevent the abrader from sliding longitudinally on the portion 2'. Said ear 9?. is also extended below the abrader, so that it will be normally engaged by the side of the holder 7 and will act as a stop to limit the separation of the arm a, b. lVith this arrangement, when the arms are moved together to produce the spark, and the device is held in an approximately horizontal position, with the arm aat the left, the cs caping gas will rise against the plate is, which acts to deflect the gas downward and, to an extent, accumulate it, so that the spark will be formed in gas of a sufficient density to enable it to be readily lighted.

The above described device is adapted to be formed and assembled Principally by bending the material of which it is made, the use of solder, which is objectionable for various reasons, in devices of this character, being entirely avoided.

The holder f may be readily removed, when the pyrophoric material is to be renewed, by merely springing the arm 6 down out of engagement with the ear 'n. The abrader is made freely rotatable on its supporting portion 2', so that fresh abrading faces may be presented to the material, as in the device of my said prior application.

I claim 1. A gas lighter comprising a pair of relatively swinging arms connected at one end, one of said arms having its free end pro vided with an upwardly facing, pyrophoric material holder and the other arm having its free end extended to provide upwardly and transversely extending portions and having an abrader mounted thereon in position to be engaged by the material of said holder, and a gas-deflecting plate having an ear at one end engaging said upwardly extending portion to hold said plate over the abrader, substantially as described.

2. A gas lighter comprising a pair of relatively swinging arms connected at one end,

one of said arms having its free end provided with an upwardly-facing, pyrophoric material holder, and the other arm having its free end extended to provide upwardly and transversely extending portions, an abrader mounted on said transversely extending portion in position to be engaged by the material of said holder, and a gas defleeting plate having a depending ear at each end, one ear being clamped to said upwardly extending portion to hold the plate over the abrader, and the other disposed to act as a stop for the holder carrying arm, substantially as described.

3. A gas lighter comprising a pair of relatively swinging arms connected at one end, one of said arms having its free end provided with an upwardly-facing, pyrophoric material holder and the other arm having its free end extended to provide upwardly and transversely extending portions, an abrader rotatably mounted on said transversely extending portion in position to be engaged by the material of said holder, and a gas-deflecting plate having a depending ear at each end, one ear being connected to said upwardly extending portion, to hold the plate over the abrader, and the other, disposed to engage the opposite end of the abrader from said upwardly extending'portion, to hold the abrader from longitudinal movement and to engage said holder carrying arm and limit the movement thereof with relation to the other arm, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses,

FREDERICK H. POMEROY.

Witnesses:

L. H. HARRIMAN, H. B. DAVIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

